This invention relates to electric switches and related more specifically to electric switches for use in gas cookers for operating gas reigniter circuits.
According to the present invention an electric switch comprises a plastic molded housing formed in two identical molded parts of shallow construction and arranged to be screwed or otherwise secured to an abutment surface through which the usual gas tap spindle extends, said housing having extending therethrough an opening in which a contact operating cam is positioned so that said spindle passes through the cam which is adapted to be rotated with said spindle, and switching contact members of preferably strip form are held captive within the switch housing by the cooperation between the housing parts and are positioned for actuation by said cam in response to rotation of said spindle.
The employment of two identical parts for the housing and the shallow form of these parts contributes both to low cost, compactness and ease of attachment to the usual gas tap assembly. Moreover, the switch contact members are securely held captive by the housing parts without the need for securing screws, etc., so that further savings in cost may be realized.
The strip contact members may be formed from milled strip of two different thicknesses so that the thinner flexible parts are used as the contact making parts while the thicker parts are used as rigid terminal parts.
To achieve good electrical insulation of the switch contact members, the housing may be provided with two rectangular openings for receiving the insulating shroud of connectors which receive in socket parts thereof the terminal ends of the contact members within the housing.